Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program

There are currently four CFTR modulator medications available for people with cystic fibrosis with specific mutations. These transforming therapies target the underlying cause of CF and have already changed the disease’s trajectory and have showed significant long term benefits. There is ongoing research and clinical trials with the hope of finding a treatment for all people living with CF, specifically for those not eligible for CFTR modulator therapies at this time. Learn more from Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Our Team

Metropolitan Dispensary

The Metro Dispensary provides low-cost prescription medications to individuals with low income and to anyone who is unable to afford the medication that they are being prescribed. A referral is required.

Patients can reorder their medications by email.
Email: metro.dispensary@ns.aliantzinc.ca

Guide

This guide will help you learn about the services that the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program offers and how you can access them.

• Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program [PDF - NSHA Library pamphlet - Revised 2024]

Transition Process

When you reach age 18 or graduate from Grade 12, you will transition from the IWK to the Halifax Infirmary CF Clinic.

You will meet the Adult Program CF Team during your last IWK appointment (in the spring/summer) before you transition. All future appointments will be at the Respirology Clinic located on the 4^th floor of the Halifax Infirmary (HI).

Clinics are held on Tuesday afternoons or Friday mornings, where you will see one of our CF physicians, nurse, dietician, social worker, physiotherapist, respiratory therapist and psychologist. Your pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are done the same day as your clinic appointment in the PFT lab located on the 3^rd floor of the Halifax Infirmary (during COVID-19 pandemic) or at the clinic.

When you arrive for your appointments, you'll register for your appointment at the 4^th floor kiosks located just inside the Halifax Infirmary – Robie Street Entrance. You are notified of your clinic appointments via a letter in the mail.

If you need to get admitted to hospital, you will be admitted to one of the Medicine units on the 8^th floor of the HI. Your CF physician and team will follow your care closely with daily visits from your CF nurse and as needed from your CF dietician. You will be in a private room with your own microwave and mini fridge.

We look forward to meeting you!

NS CF Drug Plan

Patients who are Nova Scotia Residents:

• All medications are covered without a co-pay.
• You will need to pay the dispensing fee for transplant medications.
• If a patient’s compressor breaks, please bring the broken compressor to the IWK Chest Clinic (beside Metro Dispensary) for replacement. This is covered by the NS CF Drug Plan.

Research

Use cysticfibrosis.ca's Trial Finder to easily search current and upcoming clinical trials in Nova Scotia (as of Nov 2023).

Active Cystic Fibrosis studies and quality improvement projects at our clinic:     

1. Is semaglutide safe and effective at improving glycemic control in persons with Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes?
2. A Longitudinal Study on the Impact of ELX/TEZ/IVA Treatment in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis in the Real World
3. Canadian observational study evaluating the long-term IMPACT of CFTR modulators on people with CF (CAN-IMPACT-CF)
4. Mapping and Isolation of Genes Influencing Severity of Disease in Cystic Fibrosis
5. Improving iron deficiency in cystic fibrosis using a clinic-based protocol (2024)
6. Increasing vitamin adherence for people with cystic fibrosis through video-observed therapy (2021)
7. Screening for Celiac Disease in Cystic Fibrosis patients (2021)

Other interesting research resources:

• Article in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis: The clinical effectiveness of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) for people with CF without a F508del variant: A systematic review and meta-analysis
• Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Clinic Data

News & Events

• November 2023 - Diving deeper into the under-represented Canadian CF population
  • Dr. Stanojevic is a respiratory epidemiologist who wants to better understand how the CF population changes over time and how we can keep people healthier for longer. She was recently funded by Cystic Fibrosis Canada for her study Beyond the numbers: understanding disparities in the under-represented Canadian Cystic Fibrosis population, with an Early Career Investigator Award. Cystic Fibrosis Canada partnered with Research Nova Scotia to fund this project.

• March 1, 2022 - Breathing a little easier: Nova Scotia Health plays important role in development of new cystic fibrosis drug (Nova Scotia Health News)

• Applications for the 2022-2023 Vertex Foundation Scholarship will be accepted from December 6, 2021 to February 1, 2022. Scholarships are awarded to help people with cystic fibrosis and their immediate family members (siblings, caregivers, children and spouses) pursue collegiate two-year, four-year or graduate degrees. Learn more on Vertex's website.

• November 18, 2021 - Province of Nova Scotia Covers Cost of New Cystic Fibrosis Drug (Trikafta)

Links

Contact information

Patients of the CF clinic can call the nurse coordinator at 902-473-4147.